25 Chapter 25: This Venerable One Really Can’t Stand Him!

Chu Wanning was silet for a long while, his face full of doom and gloom. For the entirety of that silence, the words "get the hell out" were stuck in his throat until, at length, they reluctantly came out as, "Get the hell in."

"Eh? Your door isn't locked?" Mo Ran was trying to make up with him after an entire day of playing cold war, so he pushed the door open and strolled in as if nothing was wrong.

Chu Wanning glanced at him from where he sat by the table, no emotion on his face. If he spoke honestly from the heart, Mo Ran was indeed good-looking; he brightened the whole room with his mere presence. The youth's supple skin almost seemed to glow, and the corners of his lips held a natural curve, such that he looked like he was smiling even when his mouth had a neutral set.

Chu Wanning kept his composure firmly under control as he moved his gaze away from Mo Ran and lowered his long lashes, raising a hand to extinguish the stick of incense on the table. "What are you doing here?" he asked impassively.

"I came to…check on your injury." Mo Ran cleared his throat, then his gaze landed on Chu Wanning's shoulder and he paused. "You've already taken care of it?"

"Mn," Chu Wanning said mildly.

Mo Ran was speechless.

It was true that he held a grudge against Chu Wanning, and that he was also mad at him for hurting Shi Mei. But Mo Ran had calmed down, and it wasn't like he didn't have any conscience at all; hate was one thing, but he hadn't forgotten how Chu Wanning's shoulder had been injured.

Inside that stifling coffin, Chu Wanning had held him tightly in his arms and used his own body to block the ghost mistress's claws. He had refused to let go even as his whole body shook from the pain…

Mo Ran definitely loathed Chu Wanning. But for some reason, a bunch of other complicated feelings were always mixed in with that loathing.

He was a crude person who had not received an education in his youth. Even though he'd studied and somewhat made up for it later on, he had a hard time wrapping his head around many more delicate matters, especially those relating to emotions.

For example, when it came to Chu Wanning, Mo Ran had scratched his head and mulled it over for a long time, but he just couldn't figure out what emotion he felt toward him. He only recognized simple feelings: like, dislike, hate, happiness, unhappiness. But if several emotions blended together, they would give the brilliant and powerful Emperor Taxian-jun vertigo, making him see stars.

I don't get it! It makes no sense. What is this? Save me! Ow, my head.

So Mo Ran simply didn't bother to think about it; he didn't care to waste that kind of energy on anyone but Shi Mei.

Inwardly, he put the earlier incident on Chu Wanning's tab and secretly plotted to repay him twice over whenever he got the chance to settle the score. But at the same time, he felt guilty. He'd warred internally with himself before ultimately knocking on Chu Wanning's door.

He didn't want to owe him anything.

But Chu Wanning was even more headstrong than he had thought. Mo Ran stared at the pile of bloodstained bandages on the table, the crimson-colored water in the washing bowl, and the knife that had been casually tossed aside, bits of bloody flesh clinging to its tip. He felt a headache coming on.

Just how had Chu Wanning managed to treat his own injury? Had he really just cut unblinkingly into the dead flesh around his wound with his own hand, just like that? Mo Ran's scalp went numb just thinking about it. Was this guy even human?

He thought about how, when he'd cleaned Shi Mei's wound earlier, Shi Mei had whimpered softly from the pain, tears springing to his eyes. For all that Mo Ran disliked Chu Wanning, he couldn't help but mentally bow to him.

The Yuheng Elder was indeed boss as fuck. Impressive, truly impressive.

Mo Ran stood there for a bit, then broke the silence first. He lightly coughed twice, toeing the floor, and mumbled awkwardly, "Earlier, at the Chen Manor… Sorry, Shizun."

Chu Wanning said nothing.

Mo Ran stole a glance at him. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Chu Wanning continued to ignore him, face indifferent as always. He'd never have said it, but deep inside, he did feel wronged.

Mo Ran walked over. Only up close did he see that Chu Wanning had made a mess of the bandaging, the gauze wrapped around his shoulder like he was tying a crab for market.

Then again, what could he expect from someone who didn't even know how to do his own laundry?

Mo Ran sighed. "Shizun, don't be mad anymore."

"Which of your eyeballs saw me being mad?" Chu Wanning shot back angrily.

Mo Ran wisely kept his mouth shut. Moments passed.

"Shizun, that's not how you bandage wounds…"

Another tart retort. "You think you know better than me?"

Mo Ran stayed silent, but lifted his hand, wanting to redo the bandages for Chu Wanning. Then he looked at his expression and hesitated again. He had gauged the probability of getting slapped in the face for daring to touch him—it was quite high. The hand lowered, then raised. This repeated several times.

Chu Wanning grew irritated and shot him a sideways glare. "What, you wanna hit me or something?"

Mo Ran did indeed want to hit him, but not right now. He grinned in exasperation and reached out to press his hand against Chu Wanning's shoulder, consequences be damned. Dimples appeared on his cheeks. "Here, Shizun, I'll help you redo the bandages."

Chu Wanning at first wanted to refuse, but Mo Ran's warm fingers were already on him, and his mouth suddenly felt excessively dry. His lips moved slightly, but in the end, he said nothing and just let Mo Ran do as he wanted.

Mo Ran unwrapped the gauze, layer by layer, each layer soaked through with blood, until the five spine-chilling holes were revealed. The mere sight of them made Mo Ran shudder; this damage was much worse than the cut on Shi Mei's face.

Mo Ran stared for a bit, and then, for some reason even he himself did not understand, asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

Chu Wanning, long lashes downcast, only said lightly, "Not too much."

"I'll be gentle," said Mo Ran.

Chu Wanning didn't know where his own mind was going, but his earlobes turned a bit red and he got mad at himself again, thinking he must be losing his mind to be entertaining such absurdities. His expression grew even stiffer, his mood even worse, and he muttered dryly, "Do as you will."

The candle flame crackled. By its dim yellow light, Mo Ran could see that the medicinal salve hadn't even been applied to some parts of the wound. He was sincerely speechless. It could only be by some kind of miracle that Chu Wanning had managed to live to this day.

"Shizun."

"Hm?"

"What happened at the Chen Manor today? Why did you beat them up?" Mo Ran asked while applying the salve.

Chu Wanning was silent for a moment before answering. "I was angry, that's all."

"What made you so angry?" Mo Ran asked.

Chu Wanning didn't feel like bothering with his junior right now, so he kept the tale brief as he told Mo Ran about Luo Xianxian.

Mo Ran shook his head when the account was complete. "That was silly of you. Something like that, no matter how mad it makes you—you still shouldn't have confronted them in that way. If it was me, I'd just make some stuff up, fake the exorcism, then dust my hands and leave. Let things run their course. You gotta adjust for the situation sometimes, you know. Look at you, making such a big mess over some worthless wretch. And you even accidentally hit Shi Mei—"

Mo Ran caught himself halfway through the rant. He shut up and watched Chu Wanning. He had been too focused on doing the bandages and had forgotten himself for a moment there, unwittingly speaking to Chu Wanning in the impudent tone of his thirty-two-year-old self.

Chu Wanning had clearly noticed it too. He was glaring inhospitably at Mo Ran from the corner of his eye, the gaze alone conveying that familiar line: I'm going to whip you to death.

"Erm…"

He was still scrambling to think of an excuse when Chu Wanning spoke first. He said impassively, "Do you think I wanted to hit Shi Mingjing?"

As soon as Shi Mei was mentioned, reason left Mo Ran's brain and willfulness took over. Even his tone grew prickly. "Did you not hit him?"

Chu Wanning regretted the strike too, but his face was thin, and he was mortified, so he scowled and said nothing.

Chu Wanning was headstrong, Mo Ran was lovestruck, and sparks flew where their glares collided in midair. The atmosphere, which had only just eased up a bit, once again left them at a hopeless impasse.

"It's not like Shi Mei did anything wrong," said Mo Ran. "Shizun, can't you at least apologize for accidentally hurting him?"

Chu Wanning's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Are you questioning me?"

"No…" Mo Ran paused. "I'm just upset that he was wrongfully injured but didn't even get a 'sorry' from Shizun."

Under the candlelight, the handsome youth finished dressing Chu Wanning's wounds and carefully tied a knot. The scene still seemed somewhat as tender as it had a moment ago, but by now, their moods vastly differed. This was especially true for Chu Wanning, who felt like an entire jar of vinegar had toppled over inside his chest. The sour taste of jealousy swelled without stopping, seeping under his skin.

Sorry? How do you even write sorry? Someone more apologetic, please teach me.

"It's gonna take at least half a year for that cut on his face to fade," Mo Ran continued. "But earlier, when I was helping him apply medicine, he still said not to blame you. Shizun, it's true that he doesn't think you're at fault, but even so, do you really think you're in the right?"

His words only added fuel to the fire. Chu Wanning tried and failed to bear it. He growled in a low voice, "Get the hell out."

Mo Ran fell silent.

"Out!" Chu Wanning snapped.

Mo Ran was thrown out, the door slamming in his face and nearly on his fingers. His hackles rose too. Look at that, just look! What was Chu Wanning's problem? It was just an apology! That face of his sure was precious—how hard was it to simply say sorry? Even this venerable Emperor Taxian-jun knew to apologize, but the mere Beidou Immortal had to go and throw a hissy fit for no goddamn reason!

No wonder no one wanted him, despite his handsome face! A fucking waste was what it was. He was gonna be single for life, and it served him right!

Chu Wanning had closed the door in the face of the high and mighty Taxian-jun, Emperor of the Mortal Realm, and paid him no heed. Obviously he wouldn't just roll around outside the door like some shameless mutt. He was extremely persistent, clingy like sticky candy and impossible to peel off—but the one he clung to was not his shizun, but Shi Mei.

He couldn't have cared less, and he immediately left to go keep Shi Mei company.

"Back already?" The Beauty Shi Mei17 was lying down to rest when Mo Ran came in. He paused before sitting up, long black hair draping down his body. "How is Shizun?"

"He's just fine, and so is his temper."

Shi Mei was quiet.

Mo Ran pulled up a chair and straddled it backward, hands propped on its back, an indolent smile playing on his lips as he took in the sight of Shi Mei with his long, soft hair loose.

"Maybe I should go check on him after all…" said Shi Mei.

"Nah, don't do that to yourself." Mo Ran rolled his eyes. "He's pitching a fit right now."

"Did you make him mad again?"

"Does he need someone else to make him mad? He can even get mad at himself. The guy's probably made of wood—he catches fire at the slightest spark."

Shi Mei shook his head, caught between laughing and crying.

"Go back to sleep," said Mo Ran. "I'm gonna go downstairs and borrow the kitchen to cook something for you guys."

"Going to so much trouble?" Shi Mei asked. "You were up all night too. Shouldn't you sleep?"

"Ha ha, I'm plenty awake." Mo Ran laughed. "But if you don't want me to leave yet, I can keep you company till you fall asleep?"

Shi Mei hurriedly waved a hand. "No need," he said gently. "I won't be able to sleep with you here watching. You should try to get some rest too; don't push yourself."

Mo Ran was a little dejected, and the smile on his lips went a little stiff.

Shi Mei was kind to him, yet he always seemed to maintain a certain indiscernible distance. Shi Mei was right in front of him, but he was also like the illusion of the moon in a mirror, a flower reflected in water, in sight but unattainable.

"Okay." Mo Ran did his best to cheer up, forcing the smile back onto his face. He had a radiant smile, and he was silly to the point of being cute when he wasn't being mischievous. "Just call out if you need anything. I'll be right next door, or if not I'll be downstairs."

"Mn."

Mo Ran lifted a hand, wanting to pat Shi Mei's hair. He managed to restrain himself and turned his hand back around to scratch his own head instead. "I'm off, then."

Once outside, Mo Ran couldn't resist a sneeze. He sniffled. Butterfly Town specialized in producing fragrances, and incense of all kinds was quite cheap, so the inn wasn't stingy about it. Long sticks of specialty incense burned in every room: one to keep out evil spirits, another to remove moisture, and a third to make the rooms smell nice. The smell of incense made Mo Ran uncomfortable, but Shi Mei liked it, so he dealt with it.

Downstairs, Mo Ran swaggered over to the innkeeper and slid him a silver ingot, his eyes squinted in a smile. "Hey, innkeeper, do me a favor."

At the sight of the silver ingot, the innkeeper's smile grew even more courteous. "What does the good Xianjun need?"

"I don't see many people here for breakfast anyway, so can I trouble you to turn away the other guests and lend me the kitchen for the morning?" Mo Ran asked.

How many coppers was a breakfast worth? Even half a month's worth of breakfast wouldn't earn a single silver ingot. The innkeeper agreed eagerly, all smiles as he led Mo Weiyu, still swaggering, to the inn's kitchen.

"Is Xianjun going to cook himself? Why not have our chef take care of it? He's really good."

"No need." Mo Ran grinned. "Have you heard of the House of Drunken Jade in Xiangtan?"

"Ah…the famed pleasure house that burned down a little over a year ago?"

"Mm-hmm."

The innkeeper peeked outside to make sure his wife was busy with work and not listening in before giving him a sneaky grin. "Who hasn't heard of that place? It was the most famous establishment on the Xiang River, and it even produced a well-known courtesan whose name spread far and wide. Too bad it's so far away, or I'd go listen to her play too."

Mo Ran laughed. "Well, thanks for the compliment, on her behalf."

"On her behalf? On her behalf?" The innkeeper was puzzled. "You know her or something?"

"More than just know her," Mo Ran replied.

"Wow…wouldn't have known that just looking at you, eh? But can you cultivators even…uh…"

Mo Ran cut him off with a laugh. "Besides the courtesan, do you know anything else?"

"Um…I heard the food there was also unparalleled."

Mo Ran's lips curved into a cheery grin as he picked up the kitchen knife with an air of familiarity. "Before I was a cultivator, I worked as an assistant in the kitchens at the House of Drunken Jade for many years. Who do you think cooks better, me or your chef?"

The innkeeper was even more amazed, stumbling over his words. "Xianjun is truly…truly…" He kept mumbling "truly" but couldn't find the words.

Mo Ran glanced at him sidelong, with a smug smile on his face and an air of self-assured laziness. "All right, out you go, then. This venerable chef is gonna get to work."

The innkeeper had no idea he was currently speaking to the ex-Lord of Darkness, and shamelessly implored, "I've long heard about the delicacies at the House of Drunken Jade. Perhaps when Xianjun is done, this lowly one might ask to try some?"

He thought it was a small request and that Mo Ran would definitely agree. Who could have guessed that Mo Ran's eyes would squint in an impish smile? "You wanna try?"

"Yeah!"

"Keep dreaming!" Mo Ran hmphed with an air of arrogance. "Did you think this venerable one was gonna cook for just anyone?" he muttered. "This is for Shi Mei. If not for him, this venerable one wouldn't even step into the kitchen…"

He picked out a radish and started cutting it as he continued muttering to himself.

Thus shot down, the innkeeper could only stand awkwardly to the side, rubbing his hands and simpering for a while before quietly slipping away.

He also muttered to himself on the inside. What was all that with "this venerable one"? The boy was so young; he probably hadn't even formed a spiritual core yet. When you listened to him rambling on, it was, "shimei this," "shimei that," but there hadn't been a single girl in his group.

The innkeeper rolled his eyes. The boy had to be crazy, and not just a little crazy.

Mo Ran busied himself in the kitchen for four whole hours; it was nearly noon before he finished. He ran upstairs expectantly to wake up Shi Mei. His footsteps slowed as he passed Chu Wanning's room. Should he call him to eat too…?

When he recalled Chu Wanning's nasty temper, Mo Ran frowned in distaste.

Nope. He'd only made a little bit anyway. None for Chu Wanning!